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Curious pup Otis leaves no stone unturned! This inquisitive guy loves to sniff around and explore his surroundings—there’s nothing he’d like more than a Saturday by your side roaming Central Park. This funny guy will keep you laughing with his playful antics, but, like most city dwellers, he’s in a rush to get to where he’s going!

At times, Otis will bark to let you know he wants something and may be protective of his food, but our Behavioral team is available to give you tips on how to control this behavior. Otis would do best in an adults-only household with an experienced adopter who can give him lots of exercise and playtime. Adopt Otis today!

Otis is available for adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center. If you are interested in adopting, please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700 ext. 4120. To learn more about Otis, please visit his profile page.

Assisted more than 1,200 animals through the ASPCA Safety Net program, designed to keep pets in their homes and out of shelters by providing services to pet owners at risk of giving up their pets.

Relocated more than 500 animals from overcrowded Los Angeles County shelters to communities where they have a better chance of being adopted.

Distributed more than $1.3 million in grants to local animal welfare organizations and partners.

We’ve also worked to form relationships with Los Angeles pet parents, ensuring that they are aware of our services:

At a neighborhood event, ASPCA Community Advocate Elizabeth Gamboa met Carmen and her 11-year-old son. Elizabeth learned that the family’s four-year-old terrier mix, Chico, was not neutered, soon a follow-up visit to Carmen’s home, she provided a voucher for a free neuter, as well as a free ID tag, collar and leash. Chico was neutered at the ASPCA spay/neuter clinic. The family is now an ambassador for the ASPCA.

Maria brought her Chihuahua, Fanny, to our Baldwin Park shelter on a hunch that Fanny was ill. Maria could not afford veterinary services but loves 10-year-old Fanny, whom she’s had since she was a puppy. Erica Macias, the ASPCA’s Baldwin Park Safety Net manager, provided a voucher for a check-up for Fanny at a nearby clinic. The ASPCA covered her veterinary bill, which included treatment and medication for ear and skin infections, as well as vaccines.

We can’t wait to help more animals like Chico and Fanny in 2015! We plan to add staff and increase surgeries performed at our spay/neuter clinic, expand our Safety Net initiative and increase the capacity of our transport program. Stay tuned for more updates to come as we continue our work in Los Angeles!

Kittens and puppies are cute as can be, but there’s something about senior pets that is undeniably special. Older animals often have a calm wisdom that their younger counterparts lack—but their age can make it more difficult to find them a home. Such was the case with Adrienne, a sweet senior cat who was adopted and returned to the ASPCA after eight years. Though it’s heartbreaking to see an animal lose their family, it made us that much more determined to find her a home that would last. Fortunately, Katherine D. showed up and gave her the “Happy Tail” she deserved.

Adrienne was adopted in 2005 when she was a little over one year old. In September 2014, after eight years together, her previous owner returned the fetching feline because she was moving to a place that didn’t allow animals. Adrienne was now ten years old—officially a “senior”—and in need of a new home. She was diagnosed with untreated asthma and bronchitis and began a steroid prescription to alleviate her discomfort. After five weeks of treatment, she was ready for adoption, and luckily, Katherine D. walked through our door at just the right moment.

Katherine grew up with many pets from shelters like the ASPCA, but it had been a number of years since she herself had been a pet parent. Once her son grew up and moved into his own apartment, the timing finally felt right for her to adopt. “Now that things are calmer, I thought it would be nice to have a pet again,” she said, so she began browsing adoptable cats on the ASPCA website. That’s when she spotted Adrienne.

“I saw Adrienne on the ASPCA website and I loved the way her face looked,” Katherine recalls. “She looked mellow and sweet and had beautiful eyes.” Katherine was also drawn toward Adrienne’s age, thinking that an older cat might enjoy lots of petting and be a good lap-cat. So she headed to the ASPCA Adoption Center with Adrienne “at the top of her list.”

Katherine’s first meeting with Adrienne did not disappoint. She recalls, “I could tell she was calm when we opened her habitat. She had the sweet face I’d seen on the website, and she didn’t seem jumpy or nervous.” Vets at the adoption center informed Katherine of Adrienne’s asthma and told her that she would need a once-daily pill for the foreseeable future. Adrienne said, “I was happy to look after her and give her medicine, and since she was older and had been returned, I knew she really deserved a quiet home where she could rest and be un-stressed.” She adopted Adrienne that day.

At Katherine’s Brooklyn apartment, Adrienne settled in right away. “When she came out of her carrier, she didn’t even try to run and hide,” Katherine recalls. “I just sat on the floor with her and she immediately wanted me to pet her…a lot.” It was the perfect fit, and in the weeks that followed, Katherine and Adrienne’s bond only grew. She now often calls her “Lady Adrienne,” as she acts very regal and thinks she’s a Queen!

“I think Adrienne is happy in her new home,” Katherine says. “She sleeps in the sun, hops up to come see me when I get home and basically sits near me wherever I am. She’s the perfect cat for me.” Though it took Adrienne eight years to find Katherine, we’re pretty sure this is one “forever home” that will truly last forever.

If you’re interested in adopting a senior pet, check out the ASPCA’s dogs and cats over the age of three.

When Richard C. noticed that his cat, Misha, was drooling and wincing when she tried to eat, he immediately knew something was wrong. He took the green-eyed, orange tabby to the ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH), where she was diagnosed with lymphocytic plasmacytic stomatitis, a severe inflammation of the mouth that can also affect the gums. The chronic, rapidly-progressive condition was making it nearly impossible for Misha to eat.

“Cats are highly sensitive and prone to inflammatory reactions,” said Dr. Krafchik, noting that Misha’s condition was not uncommon. But she added that treatment with medications alone will not solve the problem; dental work is needed to relieve animals like Misha from inflammation and pain.

One of the most common maladies seen by AAH staff is dental disease. In 2014, our team performed nearly 850 dental procedures on dogs and cats, ranging from simple cleaning and extractions to treatment for advanced periodontal disease.

“Leaving a sick mouth untreated presents major risks,” says Dr. Janice Fenichel, one of 10 veterinarians at AAH who routinely perform dental procedures. Health risks of untreated dental issues in pets include jaw fractures due to bone destruction and damage to organs caused by chronic bacterial infection in the mouth. Kidneys in particular are often injured by untreated oral disease.

“Many pets have multiple diseased teeth,” says Dr. Louise Murray, vice president of AAH. “Pets with dental disease are often in severe pain—imagine having not just one toothache, but many.”

ASPCA veterinarians frequently find inflamed gums in cats. In 75 percent of adult cats, dental problems require extractions. Fractured teeth and periodontal disease are the most common dental problems in dogs seen at AAH.

She stresses dentals “are not about cosmetics,” but rather, “keeping important teeth in your pet’s mouth and keeping your pet comfortable.”

“So often, clients express fear that if their pet loses all of his teeth, ‘How will he manage?’” she adds. “The truth is, after a much-needed dental, they’re eating a lot more comfortably than when they had a mouthful of awful teeth.”

That’s certainly true for Misha, who these days doesn’t let her almost-empty mouth stand in the way of a good meal.

For more information, check out our “Ten Steps to Dental Health” for cats and for dogs.

On December 18, the New Jersey State Legislature unanimously passed S.1870, ASPCA-supported legislation to amend the state’s Pet Purchase Protection Law. The bill would institute new rules for pet stores that sell puppies, including a requirement that these stores inform customers about the sources of the puppies they sell. It would also prohibit pet shops in the Garden State from obtaining puppies from breeders or brokers who fail to comply with even minimal federal and state animal welfare standards.

If signed into law by Governor Chris Christie, the bill will give potential animal owners a chance to make informed decisions, while also putting much-needed pressure on some of the most unethical breeders in the industry to significantly improve their practices. Governor Christie has until early February to sign the bill, and he has yet to reveal his opinion or his intentions.

Thankfully, our friend Jessica Springsteen—an ASPCA Equine Welfare Ambassador, rescue-dog lover and proud New Jerseyan—has stepped up to help by sending a letter to Governor Christie urging him to sign the bill. Governor Christie is a huge fan of Jessica’s dad, and we’re hoping a direct plea from The Boss’s daughter will catch his attention!